Amor warns Joost over comments

Amor and Joost van der Westhuizewn with their pets, spaniel Cleo and beagle Tyson.

Amor and Joost van der Westhuizewn with their pets, spaniel Cleo and beagle Tyson.

Published Sep 8, 2012

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Amor Vittone has had enough of her husband, former Springbok rugby hero Joost van der Westhuizen “badmouthing” her and if he does not give an undertaking that he will stop doing this, she will turn to the court to obtain a restraining order against him.

This is according to her lawyer, Selwyn Shapiro, who is representing Amor in her divorce against Joost.

Shapiro, one of the top divorce lawyers in the country, yesterday issued a statement in which he said they have up to now tried to avoid litigation regarding “other matters”.

“But we are left with no alternative other than to approach the high court for a restraining order wherein Mr Van der Westhuizen will be sought to be interdicted from continuing to defame my client and to act in a manner calculated to prejudice her.”

Shapiro said Joost has repeatedly levelled unwarranted allegations against Amor (he did not give details) and they will next week turn to court if Joost did not give an unreserved undertaking not to further badmouth his estranged wife.

“We shall also seek to finalise the divorce through the courts as soon as possible in view of Mr Van der Westhuizen to try and bring the divorce to finality through settlement,” Shapiro said.

Joost, who is suffering from motor neurone disease, in recent media interviews accused Amor of standing in his way when he wanted to see his children Jordan (8) and Kylie (6) as much as he would like to.

He also said she reneged on their agreement regarding when he could see the children and she always had excuses as to why the children could not spend time with him.

Joost said he was suffering from a life-threatening illness and he wanted to spend as much time as possible with his children, but that Amor was preventing him from doing so.

He also accused her of prolonging their divorce proceedings by her “unreasonable demands”.

Shapiro said it has always been their intention to do everything possible to try and bring the bitter divorce proceedings, instituted by Joost, to an end as soon as possible.

“It was specifically my instructions to do this in the best interests of the children. We also want to bring an end to this bitter and protracted litigation. My client always attempted to protect her children, including from the publicity which flows from unwarranted airing and discussion of their personal issues.”

Shapiro added that it has come to their attention that Joost, over the past months repeatedly tried to defame and insult Amor in the media and on social networks. He said they are trying their level best to avoid further litigation, but that if this continued, they will head to the court next week.

Joost’s spokeswoman, Bridget van Oerle, yesterday said Joost did not want to comment on the statement issued by Shapiro on his wife’s behalf.

Amor earlier this year was quoted in the Pretoria News saying while she will always love him as he is the father of her children, she no longer respected him as a husband.

She at the time denied that she was keeping the children from him, but said it was “a balancing act”, as he is sick and could hardly take care of himself. She made it clear that her children came first and that she did not want to air their [her and Joost’s] dirty laundry in public.

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